Transfer of SSC Governance to the Pontifical Commissary

In the presence of Sisters of St. Casimir, Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scranton, PA, partners in mission, friends, and family, the transfer of the Sisters of St. Casimir governance to the pontifical commissary took place at a liturgy held on August 31 at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Casimir in Chicago, IL. A private ceremony for the SSC and IHM Sisters was held at Franciscan Village on the 117th anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of St. Casimir, August 29.

Father Tony Pizzo, OSA, celebrant, called forth Sisters Kathryn Clauss, Ellen Maroney, Immacula Wendt, and Elizabeth Ann Yocius to bless the new leaderhsip team. He prayed, “God of all love and grace, we place this Congregation of the Sisters of St. Casimir and its leaders at your service. We ask you to accept and bless this Leadership Team: Sister Kathryn Clauss, IHM, Pontifical Commissary, Sister Ellen Maroney, IHM, Commissary Delegate and Congregational Leader, Sister Immacula Wendt, SSC and Sister Elizabeth Ann Yocius, SSC, Advisors to the Congregational Leader. May they respond to the call to serve you and their Sisters through the ministry of service as Congregational Leaders during this unprecedented time in the history of the Sisters of St. Casimir, and in the history of the Church and Institutes of Religious Life. May the love and grace that enabled the relationship between Mother Maria and the Sisters of St. Casimir and Mother Cyril and the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters of Scranton to grow during the past 117 years continue to be blessed with the gifts of your Spirit as they live into the fulfillment of their Covenant relationship. May they be faithful to the call of your Spirit.

The new team members responded to the Sisters of St. Casimir, “In the presence of God, you, our Sisters, and all here present, we humbly accept the call to serve the Church as the Leadership Team of the Sisters of St. Casimir. Called to leadership by the Congregation, we will seek to promote a spirit of unity and charity. Through prayerful discernment of God’s will, we will foster a faithful response of the Sisters of St. Casimir to the decision they have made to transfer the governance of the Congregation to the Pontifical Commissary and the Commissary Delegate on August 29, 2024, as we continue to celebrate this new chapter, which is rooted in love and continues to grow in grace. We place our trust in God and in the prayerful support and commitment of our Sisters.

In turn the Sisters of St. Casimir responded, “We, the Sisters of St. Casimir, accept these Sisters as our Leadership Team and the authority that we have entrusted to them on August 29, 2024, when the governance of the Sisters of St. Casimir was transferred to a Pontifical Commissary and the Commissary Delegate. We are united with them in seeking to respond faithfully to the gift of our charism and mission. We promise you our love and prayerful support.” Extending their hands in blessing over the new team, they prayed, “Faithful God, in baptism you claimed us; and by your Holy Spirit you are working in our lives, empowering us to live a life worthy of our calling. We thank you for leading Sisters Kathryn, Ellen, Immacula and Elizabeth Ann to this ministry of love and service. Give them the gifts of your Holy Spirit to serve with compassion and vision. Help them to walk in faith in the spirit of Mother Maria and Mother Cyril as they give your servants, our Sisters, love and support, hope, humor, and courage.”

Then, all present extended their hands in blessing, saying, “Loving God, in the words of Mother Maria, we pray: ‘May you live by faith. May you take up with joy the mission entrusted to you by God.’ May the Holy One, our journeying God, accompany you into an unknown future where one thing only is certain: God’s constant and abiding love. We trust that God will lead you through holy mystery, across time and space, into the place of spaciousness of heart. May all of us be inspired by the words of Mother Maria: ‘Always more, always better, always with love.’ Amen.”